Goblins in Red Light Caverns

[Coolplayer]

Alright, so I went to the Red Light Caverns to mine some copper.  I'm in there with my ox and I'm on the second level in the room where a lot of the gobs are where you can go down to the third level.  I go in there to battle them, with my ox out of danger of course.  First thing I hear is the sound of a fireball.  I'm thinking...er no way.  Oh but yes...it hits me for a lot of damage and there are so many gobs I have to run or die.  So I run out the cave, my ox gets massacerred and a lose everything on her.  I run out and check the combat info...now check out this screenshot.

As you can see, a goblin attempted a ranged touch attack on me...well it hit me but the total roll was only a 19.  Um.....my AC is twenty something.  22 or 23.  How did that hit?  Not only that but sense when to goblins have fireballs?  It hit me for 38 fire damage total...whats the deal with this?  Possible bug?

[Guardian 452]

My guess is the goblin chucked a fire bomb at you.

Our enemies here can and will use items from their inventory..... just wait untill you get that zombie mostly dead and he drinks a cure light wounds and commits suicide....

[SquareKnot]

The screen shot shows that it was a ranged touch attack. Touch attacks don't consider armor (no armor AC increase). You get your dex bonus and a few other things, but no armor or shield bonus. So your "vs touch attack" AC is probably much lower than your normal AC.

As to the fireball, well, the Red Light Caves were updated in this latest update. As to what, why, or where, I really can't say.

[Leanthar]

Just so everybody knows, the goblins themselves were not updated. The only thing updated was a chest in there and a trap placed around the chest (by the overloard), nothing more. I just don't want people think the creatures were updated because they were not.

[darkstorme]

Kell got toasted by a fireball when he was level 5 and exploring those caves with a group.  In his case, though, it was a goblin Shaman with a scroll.  In your case, since it was a "normal" goblin who flambéed Tahless, I'd say that Guardian's on the money and it was a firebomb.  While it's annoying when low level enemies (goblins, skeletons) have the things, it's also not beyond the realms of probability, and adds a bit of flavour, because it means that even a weakling can be dangerous (as it should be.)

And according to the screenshot, your AC is most likely 21, since the Goblin Elite nailed you with a 21 attack roll.  It was an AoO, though, and I'm not sure if you lose your DEX bonus in that situation.  Regardless, it's not a bug, it's a feature!  *grins*

[Dorganath]

This was, with 99.999957732337% certainty, a Fire Bomb, which do spawn on those goblins occasionally. If it were a fireball, you'd see "Goblin Archer of the Red Fang Clan casts Fireball" (or "Unknown Soell" if you don't have Spellcraft) in the combat log rather than a ranged touch attack.  
  I've personally seen this happen and yeah, it's pretty surprising, but it does make things interesting!
  And to just reiterate what Leanthar said, the Red Light Goblins (creatures) were not changed at all in the last update. Only the Overlord and the placed objects that Leanthar mentioned.

[osxmallard]

I had a zombie cast chain lighting or something off of a stardust on me in the Hlint crypts.  It's not a pretty sight when you're 3rd level or so.  =)  But I have seen the firebomb in the red light caverns also...  I have seen acid flask in one of those places too.

[Coolplayer]

Ok, I just checked my AC and I know for a fact it is 23, so how did that one gob hit me with a 21 roll?  I understand the firebomb thing now.  But the hit on a 21?

[Coolplayer]

Anyways, not complaining and what not, just trying to figure things out.

[Rayenoir]

Squareknot pointed out already that grenadelike weapons are ranged touch attacks.  Your touch ac is a stat that isn't displayed in NWN.  Touch ac consists of base ac (10) + dex modifier + deflection ac bonus + dodge ac bonus.  Armor and natural armor are not factored in for touch ac.

[darkstorme]

No, he's referring to the Gob Elite who hit him with a conventional attack with a 21 attack roll.   However, Coolplayer, if Tahless has a decent DEX bonus, he may have been flatfooted for that attack, and lost his DEX AC.

[Talan Va'lash]

You also lose all dodge modifiers when flat footed.
 
  Common dodge modifiers:
  - ronus' boots
  - bonus ac from every 5 ranks in tumble
  - dodge feat
  - 1 ac from mage armor

[Stephen_Zuckerman]

Yeah, those inventory items can be pesky, but they can definately keep things interesting. Usually painfully, but occasionally it's a kick to see a skeleton use a high-level Star Dust, and then you make your save. Then bash 'im.

That was a Fire Bomb. Ranged Touch Attack to throw the thing, then, what is it, 6d6 fire damage?

[MasterOfMuppets]

i found some stardust on a skeleton, i think it would have hurt if the skeleton would have had the time to use it.

[Dorganath]

MasterOfMuppets - 8/4/2006  1:23 AM  i found some stardust on a skeleton, i think it would have hurt if the skeleton would have had the time to use it.

 This is perfectly legitimate.Yes, it may have hurt, but as someone said, it will keep things interesting.

[MasterOfMuppets]

yep, it keeps it interesting. and im sure its worth some money. its a good system to have enemies use items sometimes.

[Faldred]

Dorganath - 8/4/2006  9:10 AM    

MasterOfMuppets - 8/4/2006  1:23 AM  i found some stardust on a skeleton, i think it would have hurt if the skeleton would have had the time to use it.

 This is perfectly legitimate.Yes, it may have hurt, but as someone said, it will keep things interesting.

Yup.  Trig nearly got waxed by a skeleton in the Hlint crypts who managed to have a fire bomb.  Makes a "simple" excursion a little less ordinary...

[Nook]

Stephen_Zuckerman - 7/12/2006  8:50 PM

Yeah, those inventory items can be pesky, but they can definately keep things interesting. Usually painfully, but occasionally it's a kick to see a skeleton use a high-level Star Dust, and then you make your save. Then bash 'im.

That was a Fire Bomb. Ranged Touch Attack to throw the thing, then, what is it, 6d6 fire damage?

Yeah, I jumped out of my real skin the first time this happened.

[crazedgoblin]

Guardian 452 - 7/12/2006  2:25 PMMy guess is the goblin chucked a fire bomb at you.Our enemies here can and will use items from their inventory..... just wait untill you get that zombie mostly dead and he drinks a cure light wounds and commits suicide....

i really want to see a zombie drink cure light wounds now